


Doing Something Together

by EloquentDossier



Series: 30-Day OTP Challenge [18]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: (not entirely but mostly), 30 Day OTP Challenge, Age Swap, Alternate Universe, Fic Teaser, Fic preview, LEO Hotch, M/M, Pre-Slash, Unit Chief Reid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-18
Updated: 2015-12-18
Packaged: 2018-05-08 11:29:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5495510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EloquentDossier/pseuds/EloquentDossier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>Reid smiled to himself as he watched his team from across the room.  He knew they were on a time limit, and in less than three hours he would have to herd them all out the door to make it to the jet in time to return home, but for the time being they deserved the chance to let loose.  There weren't many instances during their job when they could relax and enjoy the time they had together, so he was more than happy to provide it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>One of them said something that had them all laughing, and he felt a distinct tension leave his shoulders.  He lifted his glass of tea to his lips at the exact moment someone stopped at his table, nearly causing him to choke as a now-familiar voice asked, "Mind if I sit here?"</em>
</p><p>xxx</p><p>One of thirty (different) potential fic previews.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Doing Something Together

**Author's Note:**

> Continuation of the **fic previews**. This one is another one-shot possibility, though I may also make it sort of like Bright, where they're just short moments as chapters, spread out over time. The general idea is not mine, however. It's going to be a fill for [this prompt](http://hxr-prompt-meme.livejournal.com/489.html?thread=10985#t10985) over on the new [HxR Prompt Meme](http://hxr-prompt-meme.livejournal.com/489.html).
> 
> Not much to say, so I hope you guys enjoy!

Reid smiled to himself as he watched his team from across the room.  He knew they were on a time limit, and in less than three hours he would have to herd them all out the door to make it to the jet in time to return home, but for the time being they deserved the chance to let loose.  There weren't many instances during their job when they could relax and enjoy the time they had together, so he was more than happy to provide it.

One of them said something that had them all laughing, and he felt a distinct tension leave his shoulders.  He lifted his glass of tea to his lips at the exact moment someone stopped at his table, nearly causing him to choke as a now-familiar voice asked, "Mind if I sit here?"

The Unit Chief set his glass down to ensure he didn't drop it, his hazel eyes landing on the dark-haired man hovering at the end of his table.  "Good evening, Officer Hotchner," he greeted in an effort to give himself time to come up with a valid reason to refuse.  He wasn't sure how much more of Aaron Hotchner's profiling he could take.  His mind scrambled for a moment, but he ended up motioning to the seat across from him.  "Please."

The young officer slid smoothly into the seat, an easy smile curling his lips.  Reid felt a fleeting disappointment that such a light-hearted smile would likely be extremely rare years down the road.  "Agent Reid, feel free to call me 'Hotch.'  Everyone else does.  I didn't think it was appropriate to address it at the station, or I would have mentioned it sooner."

Reid was remotely stunned by the foresight; he still had to correct himself and his team on occasion, and they had years more experience.  "All right.  Then I must insist you drop the formalities in this setting, as well."

"I believe I can manage that," Hotch murmured, his gaze focused on the older man.

Those dark brown eyes saw far too much.  No one had ever read him as aptly or as quickly as the man seated across from him.  Not even David, who had met him in his rookie days and probably knew him better than anyone else, aside from his mother.  The entire situation made him feel nervous in ways he hadn't been since he was a preteen in a high school.

"I thought you and your team would be gone the moment the case wrapped."  Hotch's comment pulled Reid from his worrying, his gaze refocusing on the officer.

"We have a few hours until we can leave," he answered, fighting the urge to glance at his team.  It was almost compulsory to check on them, even though he could hear David regaling them with some (likely only half-true) story that had Alex and Morgan laughing as Emily exclaimed there was no way it had actually happened.

Hotch held his gaze, lips slightly turned up at one corner.  "So you brought them here to allow them to unwind.  You didn't want them to wait longer than was necessary."

It didn't even surprise Reid that Hotch knew it had been his idea.  "They need a little bit of light in the darkness sometimes."

"And you?"  The intensity in the younger man's eyes was startling but also rather touching.  It wasn't often that he was on the receiving end of concern; there was something almost sweet about it.

Reid offered a slight quirk of his lips and finally allowed his gaze to stray over to his team.  "I have them."


End file.
